Bed attached shelf



July 12, 1966 c. J. BATTERAM BED ATTACHED SHELF Filed June 19. 1964 &

IN VEN TOR.

United States Patent "ice 3,259,923 BED ATTACHED SHELF Carl J. Batteram, 324 Valeria St., Dubuque, Iowa Filed June 19, 1964, Ser. No. 376,319 1 Claim. (Cl. 332) The present invention generally relates to an attachment for a bed and particularly the headboard of the bed in order to form a storage shelf at the top end of the headboard and to form a storage area between the headboard and the wall of a room. An object of the present invention is to provide a bed attachment in the form of a shelf hingedly attached to the top edge portion of a headboard so that the shelf may be orientated in a horizontal position for use and conveniently stored in a vertical position when the shelf is in inoperative condition,

A further object of the present invention is to provide a shelf attached to the top edge of the headboard of a bed in which the shelf projects outwardly of the headboard towards a wall surface for forming a storage area thereon for receiving card tables, folding chairs, cleaning equipment such as dust mops and the like, and otherwise any objects that are normally found in a household particularly in the bedroom in which it is desirable to store them in a concealed position.

A further important object of the present invention to provide a shelf attached hingedly or pivotably to the upper edge portion of a headboard with the edge of the shelf adjacent the mattress projecting a very slight distance inwardly in the headboard thereby eliminating any danger of engagement therewith when sleeping in the bed in a normal manner.

Still another important object of the present invention is to provide a shelf attachment for the headboard of a bed which is simple in construction, easy to attach, effective for its purposes and relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more fully realized and understood from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1- is a perspective view of the bed having the shelf attached thereto;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken substantially upon a plane passing along section line 22 of FIGURE 1 illustrating the structural details of the shelf;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmental sectional view illustrating a modified type of hinge for securing the shelf to the headboard;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view similar to FIGURE 3 but illustrating another type of hinge structure;

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view similar to FIGURES 3 and 4 but illustrating another form of hinge structure for securing the shelf to the headboard;

FIGURE 6 is a detailed sectional view similar to FIG- URE 5 but illustrating a hinge structure with a folding brace for retaining the shelf in horizontal position.

Referring now specifically to the drawings, the numeral 10 generally designates a bed of conventional construction and which includes a generally vertically disclosed headboard, also of conventional construction with it being understood that the shelf may be attached to various types of beds and various types of headboards insofar as its combination with the bed is concerned.

The shelf attachment is generally designated by the numeral 14 and includes a horizontally disposed shelf or board 16 which may be in the form of a counter top number or the like having any suitable finish on the upper surface thereof and any suitable finish on the peripheral and bottom surface if desired. The board or shelf 16 lies against the top edge of the headboard 12 and is Patented July 12, 1966 hingedly attached thereto by a hinge structure 18 which includes a lower L-shaped hinge strap 20 and an upper L-shaped hinge strap 22 pivotably attached by a hinge bar-rel 24 and the lower inner corner of the shelf or board 16 as illustrated in FIGURE 2. Thus, with this construction, the board 16 may be hinged from its operative horizontal position as is illustrated in FIGURE 2 into a vertical position lying along the front surface of the headboard 12. When the board or shelf 16 is in operative position as illustrated in FIGURE 2, the outer edge thereof is concaved as at 26 for providing a neat appearance and the area underneath the board 16 is adapted to receive and store various articles such as card tables 28 -or the like which may lean against a wall surface 30. Thus, the shelf 16 when combined with the headboard 12 and the wall surface 30 forms a storage compartment for card tables, folding chairs, mops, suitcases and the like of which will'be concealed and kept out of the way in a conveniently stored position. The

length of the hinge structures may vary and the spacial relationship thereof may vary depending upon the expected load to be placed on the shelf 16. The hinge structure as well as the shelf structure may be finished in a manner compatible with the finish on the headboard or any suitable finish may be provided thereon.

FIGURE 3 illustrates another type of hinge structure generally designated by numeral 32 and including a hinge strap 34 and a hinge strap 36 which are straight and which are interconnected by a hinge bar-rel 38 at the upper inner edge of the shelf 16. Suitable screw threaded fasteners 40 of the wood screw type may be employed for securing the hinge straps 34 and 36 in position and reinforcement blocks or bars 42 may be attached to the outer surface of the headboard 12 to provide a wider ledge for engaging the under surface of the shelf 16 thereby more adequately supporting the shelf 16.

FIGURE 4 illustrates another form of hinge structure 44 for interconnecting the headboard 12 and shelf 16. In this form of the invention, the hinge strap 46 is straight whereas the hinge strap 48 is substantially Z-shaped and extends downwardly across the edge of the board or shelf 16, inwardly across the top edge of the headboard 12 and downwardly along side of the outer surface of the headboard 12 and screw threaded fasteners such as wood screws 50 are employed through the strap 46 and through the vertical and horizontal components of the strap 48 which lies along side of the outer surface and top surface of the headboard 12 respectively. Of course, the straps 46 and 48 are secured together by a hinge pin and barrel 52 at the upper corner of the shelf 16.

FIGURE 5 illustrates another embodiment of hinge structure 54 which includes an upper hinge strap 56 and a lower hinge strap 58 interconnecting the shelf 16 and headboard 12 with both hinge straps being L-shaped. The hinge strap 56 extended downwardly across the inner edge of the shelf 16 and the L-shaped strap 58 extends across the top of the headboard 12 and downwardly across the outer surface thereof with the leg of the strap 58 extending across the top edge of the headboard 12 extending inwardly thereof a distance for connection with a hinge barrel 60 at the lower inner corner of shelf 16 which provides for an arrangement in which the hinge axis of the shelf 16 is spaced inwardly of the headboard 12 which is adequate when the shelf 16 is above the mattress a sufiicient distance. Also, this structure provides more support for the under surface of the shelf 16 since the point of support is faced inwardly from the inner edge of the shelf 16.

FIGURE 6 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the headboard 12 is provided with a stationary top member 62 which may be a part of the existing headboard or may be attached thereto. Pivotably attached to the strip 62 is a shelf 64 which iscondownwardly along side of the outer surface of the head-.

board 12.

Various shapes and sizes of hinges, reinforcement blocks and shelf boards may be employed and the shelf provides the support area for various magazines and other items normally associated with a bedside table or headboard with a cabinet incorporated therein.

The principles of the invention explained in connection with the specific exemplifications thereon will suggest many other applications and modifications of the same. It is accordingly desired that, in construing the breadth of the appended claim it shall not be limited to the specific details shown and described in connection with the exemplifications thereof.

I claim: 7

In combination with the headboard of a bed, a horizontally disposed shelf orientated at the upper edge of the headboard and projecting outwardly therefrom so that an inter-mediate portion is supported by the upper edge of the headboard, means, connecting the shelf to the head-board whereby the volume under the shelf and outwardly of the headboard from the intermediate portion form the storage area, said connecting means including a hinge structure for enabling the shelf to fold to a vertically retracted position, said connecting means including a pair of binge strips and a hinge barrelintercon necting the strips with a portion of the shelf space from, the hinge barrel engaging said upper edge of the headboard for retaining the shelf in horizontal position.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 594,846 12/1897 Bennett 5-332 X 1 1,267,046 5/1918 Blaird 5-332 1,332,498 3/ 1920 Jakubowski 108-28 1,347,271 7/ 1920 Hartman 5-332 1,887,102 11/1932 Mathe 312-313 X 2,813,769 11/1957 Post 313-313 X FRANK B. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

A. M. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner. 

